Three Quick Ways To Perfect Your Writing Style
As a writer and editor, I’ve come across a lot of documents that someone asked
me to “look over and tell me what you think.”
Overwhelmingly, I have the same reaction to most. Way too long. Way too stiff.
And way too boring.
Nowhere was this more rampant than in a recent gig I had at monthly magazine. I
was charged with editing material that had been submitted by business people
writing “expert articles.” For the most part, the subject and content manner was
fine. But the prose usually made me want to stick a chopstick left from the
lunchtime Chinese takeout in my eye. It would have been a smaller headache.
What was wrong with the prose? It was full of jargon, long words, and it had
about as much spark as stereo instructions. And they were hard to read.
One article from a vet on common cat sicknesses read like an excerpt from a
veterinary school textbook—full of words that I couldn’t even understand, much
less check for proper spelling.
Others were full of language like this: “I felt that it was necessary for me to
examine the situation to see what could be done to rectify it. It was determined
that a full diagnosis was necessary in order to properly determine the necessary
course of action.”
Three mentions of ‘necessary’ in two sentences. And read it out loud…is this
something anyone would say in daily conversation? And the length!
Arrraagghh!!!
But this plague of bad writing can be cured. All you have to do is honestly
answer three, simple questions:
We’ll try it with “necessary course of action” sentence. Take the same thought,
check to make sure it’s not repetitive (words or message), cut a bunch of words
and write it like you’d say it daily conversation. Here’s one way to do it:
“When I examined the situation, I saw we’d need a full-diagnosis to know what to
do next.”
Doesn’t it say the exact same thing? But it’s a lot shorter and a lot easier to
read. When its easier to read, its easier to understand and that’s how your
message reaches the reader.
So when you’re writing anything for public consumption, not just articles, these
three, simple guidelines will help make your writing better and more powerful.
Try it and see!
.
Julie Ann Waid is owner of Waidwrites Communications, a full-service
writing and editing firm specializing in marketing communications. Sign
up for her free e-zine “J’s Communique: Marketing Tips For Business”
at www.waidwrites.com and get a free, five day e-course "How To Get
Better Results From Your Business Writing (From Memos To Ads).
Copyright 2006, Waidwrites Communications. All Rights Reserved
As a writer and editor, I’ve come across a lot of documents that someone asked
me to “look over and tell me what you think.”
Overwhelmingly, I have the same reaction to most. Way too long. Way too stiff.
And way too boring.
Nowhere was this more rampant than in a recent gig I had at monthly magazine. I
was charged with editing material that had been submitted by business people
writing “expert articles.” For the most part, the subject and content manner was
fine. But the prose usually made me want to stick a chopstick left from the
lunchtime Chinese takeout in my eye. It would have been a smaller headache.
What was wrong with the prose? It was full of jargon, long words, and it had
about as much spark as stereo instructions. And they were hard to read.
One article from a vet on common cat sicknesses read like an excerpt from a
veterinary school textbook—full of words that I couldn’t even understand, much
less check for proper spelling.
Others were full of language like this: “I felt that it was necessary for me to
examine the situation to see what could be done to rectify it. It was determined
that a full diagnosis was necessary in order to properly determine the necessary
course of action.”
Three mentions of ‘necessary’ in two sentences. And read it out loud…is this
something anyone would say in daily conversation? And the length!
Arrraagghh!!!
But this plague of bad writing can be cured. All you have to do is honestly
answer three, simple questions:
- Can this exact same thing be said in fewer words?
- Is there any repetitive language?
- Could I say this sentence out loud to someone and not sound like a robot?
We’ll try it with “necessary course of action” sentence. Take the same thought,
check to make sure it’s not repetitive (words or message), cut a bunch of words
and write it like you’d say it daily conversation. Here’s one way to do it:
“When I examined the situation, I saw we’d need a full-diagnosis to know what to
do next.”
Doesn’t it say the exact same thing? But it’s a lot shorter and a lot easier to
read. When its easier to read, its easier to understand and that’s how your
message reaches the reader.
So when you’re writing anything for public consumption, not just articles, these
three, simple guidelines will help make your writing better and more powerful.
Try it and see!
.
Julie Ann Waid is owner of Waidwrites Communications, a full-service
writing and editing firm specializing in marketing communications. Sign
up for her free e-zine “J’s Communique: Marketing Tips For Business”
at www.waidwrites.com and get a free, five day e-course "How To Get
Better Results From Your Business Writing (From Memos To Ads).
Copyright 2006, Waidwrites Communications. All Rights Reserved
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